Wrens end losing streak at Armthorpe

Matt Plant scored and then conceded a penalty as Rainworth drew at Armthorpe.

Published:10:43Tuesday 01 March 2016

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Rainworth finally ended their four-match losing run in the league after a 2-2 draw at Armthorpe.

Armthorpe led at the break through Tom McLaughlin, but two early second-half efforts in four minutes by Matt Plant and Liam Nelthorpe swung the pendulum the Wrens’ way for all of two minutes before Josh Schofield levelled from the penalty spot.

New Wrens goalkeeper Ben Townsend showed his prowess in the seventh minute, saving at point blank range from James Handley, but it was Rainworth who almost drew first blood six minutes later, good work by Liam Theakstone setting up Matt Thompson for a curling shot that came back off a post.

Townsend was sprawling to save again from Handley shortly afterwards before Rainworth’s Liam Morris saw his header fly just wide.

But it was Armthorpe who grabbed the lead on the half-hour. Countering swiftly down the right, Josh Gibbons picked out the run of McLoughlin with a perfect crossfield pass and he easily beat Townsend.

Theakstone then hit the side netting in the last notable action of a half in which the home side just about deserved their lead.

Rainworth were level early in the second-half as the home defence failed to clear from a corner and Plant got the final touch to force it over the line.

That was the first of a six-minute three-goal burst, but before the other two in that sequence Handley’s rather tame effort found a way through and came back off the post.

Instead, it was Nelthorpe who found the net at the other end from close range from a right wing pull-back.

However, the Wrens’ lead lasted just two minutes before Plant was penalised for a foul on former Wren Darren Mansaram in the box and Schofield netted from the spot.

It was now Armthorpe’s turn to raise their tempo again, with Schofield firing wide from a good position and then seeing his 20-yard volley superbly tipped over the bar by Townsend, then Stuart Preston waltzed his way through the defence only to hit the outside of the near post, while Rainworth’s Declan Brewin’s cross shot beat the far post by a whisker.

And somehow the ball stayed out of the Armthorpe net when, after a double save by Leigh Overton, Jordan Edridge’s downward header hit the foot of the post and the keeper was able to smother.

Finally, in the third minute of added time, another header by York was cleared off the line by Richard Smith to preserve a point for his side and deny Rainworth the win they so desperately need.